


you're a candle in the window

by currahees



Category: Band of Brothers, The Pacific (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 10:40:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21618931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/currahees/pseuds/currahees
Summary: "and i can't fight this feeling anymore,i've forgotten what I started fighting for."ORthe holiday special.
Relationships: Babe Heffron/Eugene Roe, Carwood Lipton/Ronald Speirs, George Luz/Joseph Toye, Joseph Liebgott/Kenyon Webster, Lewis Nixon/Richard Winters, Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	1. begin

hey guys! as this is my first christmas in the hbowar fandom, i decided to do something special to celebrate it. may i present to you:

##  ** _the 12 days of christmas! hbowar edition!_ **

for the next month <strike>(because let’s be real, i cannot consistently publish 12 separate fics in 12 days, ya girl’s bad with deadlines)</strike> i will be posting 12 fics, following everyone’s favourite couples from band of brothers & the pacific. the couples included are as followed: luztoye, speirton, winnix, webgott, baberoe and sledgefu!

the first chapter should be up in the next few days, i hope you're all as excited for this as i am!

if you have any questions/comments, feel free to message me over on my tumblr. my username is speirtons.


	2. luztoye no.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh, i can't fight this feeling any longer // luztoye.

The snow outside the window was falling slowly with one every now and then sticking to the glass. George’s breath was creating a patch of condensation, the world passing by in a blur of colours and shapes. The buzzing of his phone distracted him from the window. Opening his messages, he reads the text from Perconte. Impatient as ever, he was asking when his train was meant to get in. Glancing up at the screen in the middle of the aisle George saw that he was only a few stops away. Texting back, he runs through all the possible scenarios in his head that might unfold once he got home.

When George left eight months ago, he had one specific reason for leaving. Or rather, one person. Joe Toye. The constant presence of the man was too much for George to bear and despite Lip’s and Perconte’s insistences he couldn’t carry on putting himself in situations where he found himself falling for Joe, despite the obvious warning signs. Getting away was the best thing he did, or at least that was his belief for a while. He missed his friends and above all, he missed Joe, even if he had been friendzoned time and time again.

George heard the sound of the conductor announcing their arrival over his music and he was suddenly filled with a burst of energy. Quickly slipping past the crowds of people and yelling an apology over his shoulder as he did so, he spotted a familiar group of people waiting for him. He actually heard them before he saw them, Guarnere and Babe’s heavy accents as they argued about something, Nixon commenting on the state of the station and Lipton trying to get everyone to calm down. George’s heart sped up at the sight of his friends and before he had the chance to grab someone’s attention or announce his presence they noticed him, swarming him like bees.

A chorus of nicknames and insults rung out amongst the men as they hugged him and it wasn’t until Lipton softly suggested they give him room to breathe that a few of them finally backed off.

“We missed ya, Luz,” Babe smiles, patting him on the back.

“I missed you guys too,” George smiles back, “not all of ya though, that’s for sure.”

There was another outbreak of laughter and shouts, the group of men walking out of the train station together.

“You didn’t have to come get me, I thought it was just Perco picking me up,” George says.

Perconte scoffs, “these idiots wouldn’t let me come by myself.”

George looks around his group of friends and tries not to let his heart sink as he notices there’s one face missing. He didn’t expect Joe to turn up, there was no real reason for him to. Their friendship struggled after George moved away and although George was mainly to blame for their lack of communication, a small part of him still wishes he had showed.

Lipton, who was always so aware of everyone’s emotions, caught onto George’s slight change. “Perconte’s got your old room set up, you’re good to crash there for the next week. What do you boys say about letting George settle in a bit then meeting at Currahee’s for a drink later tonight?”

Everyone was in agreement with Lipton’s plans and George shot him a thankful nod. The group slowly disperse until it’s just George and Frank walking to his car.

“He wanted to show,” Perconte says, “he’s missed you more than the rest of us.”

George didn’t need clarification, he knew who Perconte was referring to. “I doubt that, but thanks, Perco.”

Climbing into his car, George leans over to turn the radio on. Station after station all that’s on is Christmas music. Settling on _Last Chrismas, _George softly hums the tune of the song under his breath. He wishes that is was in fact last Christmas before his feelings for Joe messed everything up. God, he hated the holidays.

Later that night George and Perconte arrive at the bar together, most of their friends having already gotten there.

Perconte stops them before they enter, "just to let you know, Joe's in there. Babe's texted me, if you wanna bail I'm sure they'd understand."

George adamantly shakes his head. "No, I'll be fine. I'm not gonna let it ruin my night."

Perconte smiles, opening the door for both of them as they enter the bar. Once again, George is able to locate his friends thanks to the commotion they were causing. Gravitating towards the table, he ignores the very specific set of eyes he knows are on him and sits down.

Guarnere is the first to start talking, “so, Luz, how is your new job treating ya? Making you move hours away, the pay must be good,” he laughs, earning a small smile from George in return.

“Not too bad, just a lot of writing, ya know,” George responds. He fails to mention the sleepless nights, the ache of missing his friends and the loneliness that came with the move. A few more questions are fired at him by the boys, everyone wanting to know what it’s like and when, or if he plans on moving back home. All of the questions George manages to dodge giving an actual answer to, but he can’t deny that he missed this. His friends, their banter, he hasn’t had anything like it for almost eight months.

After a few rounds of drinks, there’s a comfortability that sets over the group. Instead of badgering George with questions, conversations break off and it’s a little quieter. Deciding this would be the best time for a breather, George excuses himself from the table to take a second outside.

The cold air hits his skin immediately and he feels the warmth from his face dissipate, leaving him slightly shivering instead. Leaning against the cold brick wall, he closes his eyes and tries not to acknowledge how _right _this all feels. He wants to come home, more than anything. There was a small knawing feeling that was creeping it’s way back into George’s heart and he knew the name of it. _Joe._

Almost as if on cue, the door swings open and his moments of silence are over. It’s Joe and George feels his breath catch in his throat as he walks over to him.

“Hey George,” Joe says, standing a few feet away from him as he idly kicks the gravel on the ground.

“Hey,” George manages back, confused as to why Joe was here, now.

“It’s good to have you back, we all missed you,” Joe begins, looking at a loss for words.

George, wanting nothing more than the ground to swallow him whole, replies, “yeah, I missed everyone.”

“Then why’d you leave?” Joe shoots back, a little quicker than George was expecting.

He raises an eyebrow and finally forces himself to make eye contact with the other man. “Ya know, wanted a change of scenery. Something new,” George lies through his teeth.

“Bullshit,” Joe mumbles, barely loud enough for him to hear. “You stopped talking to me the minute you left, George. You apparently kept in contact with everyone else. Why not me?”

George was convinced he heard Joe’s voice break but he wasn’t going to acknowledge it. “I tried but it was hard-.”

“George, tell me the truth. I deserve at least that,” Joe asks.

George pushes himself off the wall, standing closer to Joe. “You wanna know why, Joe? Okay, fine. The truth is I moved because of you. Because I couldn’t keep putting myself through the torture of seeing you every day and falling a little more in love with you, knowing full well you’d never feel the same back. I needed a break from you and my own thoughts so I did the only thing I could think of. I left. And didn’t look back.”

The second the words are out of his mouth, he regrets them. He should have come up with something else to tell Joe, some bullshit fake answer instead of unloading all his emotions like an idiot, he tells himself.

He turns to walk back into the bar but a hand on his stops him. George trails his eyes up and finds Joe looking back at him, his mouth slightly open and his eyes soft. George hesitates for a moment, but Joe doesn’t. He backs George up against the wall, but this time when George feels the cold brick through his shirt, he also feels Joe’s mouth on his and his hands on his hip, his knuckles slipping under his shirt and dancing over his skin.

Joe pulls back, slightly breathless but smiling. “Georgie?”

“Hmm?”

“Next time, tell me how you feel. Could have saved us a whole eight months.” He smirks.

George looks at him, unable to believe this was all really happening. Luckily for him, Joe was more than happy to prove that it was real as he kissed him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for any mistakes/typos, i'll fully proof read everything once all the chapters are out!


	3. baberoe no.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cause i feel so secure when we're together // baberoe.

Gene had never spent Christmas with anyone apart from his family. For the past few years he spent it at the hospital, volunteering to take the shifts no one else wanted. He didn’t have a family to spend the day with and didn’t want to spend it alone either. So work seemed the only option.

That was until Babe Heffron walked into his life. Or rather, bumped into him and spilt coffee down his shirt. Fortunately for Gene it was an old shirt and fortunately for Babe, the cute Doctor he embarrassed himself in front of was single. Leading them to this moment, right now.

“Gene, are you sure you don’t want to put the tree up over there?” Babe asks for the third time, indicating to the opposite corner of the living room. Their apartment was small, to say the least and they only had a few places they could cram a too-tall Christmas tree into.

Gene glanced at the spot Babe was referring to, but there was no way it’d fit there. “Edward, the tree ain’t gonna fit there. We’re gonna have to leave it where it is and decorate the side that faces outwards.”

Babe sighs but knows that he’s right. “Okay. I’ll make us hot chocolate if you get the ornaments out of the closet?”

A small smile appears on Gene’s face, “deal.”

After a quick hot chocolate break, they’re back on the monumental task of decorating their tree. Gene had a system in place with the ornament placement, but one quick look at Babe’s side and it was clear the tree would look a little uneven. But Gene didn’t mind that, he sorta loved how Babe’s side of the tree matched his personality. A little messy, a little all over the place, but still the cutest thing he had ever seen.

“I’ve run out of ornaments,” Babe announces, stepping back to look at his decoration skills with pride. Gene still had a handful left and took a few more minutes to place them all on the tree. Once he was done he joined Babe in stepping a few feet away and looking at their fully decorated tree.

“It looks good!” Babe beams, the grin on his face contagious.

Gene’s not looking at the tree when he replies, “yeah, it does.” Babe feels Gene’s eyes on him and draws his attention away from the glowing tree to look at him.

“What?” He asks.

“Nothing,” Gene replies, shaking his head, “’m just happy, that’s all.” He can’t describe the feeling in his chest, the swelling of his heart and the joy he didn’t know he could feel. He watches as the twinkling lights reflect in Babe’s eyes and the way they slightly illuminate his skin.

Babe all of a sudden breaks away from Gene’s loose embrace, running to the box of decorations. “We forgot something!” He exclaims, Gene doesn’t see what he pulls out as Babe goes to the kitchen, calling for Gene to follow him.

There was a wonky piece of plastic mistletoe hanging over the doorframe between the kitchen and hallway and Babe was smiling under it, looking at Gene. “C’mere,” he beckons, reaching out for his hand.

Gene laughs at his boyfriend's antics but obliges as he walks over to him.

“Did you put that there so I’d have to kiss you every time I go to the kitchen?” Gene mumbles, his face inches from Babe’s.

“Hmmm, maybe I did,” Babe replies, a soft smile playing at his lips. Gene could feel his smile as he closed the gap, he always thought Babe kissed best when he was smiling.


	4. speirton no.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and even as i wander, i'm keeping you in sight / speirton.

There was a considerable distance between Ron and Carwood’s flat. Ron had counted it once, it was exactly five thousand and twenty-seven steps. Carwood had not so subtly implied that they should move in together but every time the conversation was brought it, Ron quickly changed it to something else.

As he drove down Ron’s street and past his apartment, Carwood tried to stop himself from looking and desperately hoping that he’d find a light on or some sign of life. He’s not sure what he’d do if there was a light on so his hope was futile. Ron was out on another tour, he wouldn’t be home for weeks and the days were dragging until he got home. This was yet another reason why Carwood argued for them to move in together. Whenever he was home, they spent their time at his flat anyway. It just made sense.

Halfway across the world, Ron was desperately trying to get through airport security as quickly as he could so he wouldn’t miss his connecting flight. He had ‘forgotten’ to tell Carwood he’d be back two weeks before the scheduled date, meaning he’d be back for the holidays. Normally he was upfront about things like this, Ron wasn’t one to partake in over the top surprises like this. But considering this was his last tour and he’d be based at the training camp close to their home, he figured he’d do something memorable.

Carwood unlocks his flat, placing the bags of groceries on the kitchen table. He checks his phone for messages, quickly replying to Luz and Nixon and ignoring the temptation to call Ron. They usually talked a little later in the day but his finger hovered about the call button and he let himself press it. He wasn’t surprised that it went straight to voicemail, but a small part of him wished he picked up. The ease of being able to talk to him whenever he wanted is the biggest thing he missed when Ron was away. He missed his best friend.

Ron’s flight landed three hours later than expected but he couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed. In less than an hour, he’d be at home and that was worth the three-hour delay. After all, he had waited three months. What were an extra three hours?

Hailing a taxi outside the airport, telling the driver Carwood’s address and tried to suppress the nerves that were threatening to bubble over. Despite being with him for years, Ron always got the pre-reunion butterflies in his stomach before he saw Carwood again after a while apart. It was a Thursday evening so he imagined he’d be eating dinner and catching up with the essay marking for his university class.

When he pulls up outside of Carwood’s flat he sees the light on, signalling that he was still awake. Thanking the driver, he pulls his bag out with him and makes his way to the door. He still had his key but he decided against using it, mainly to avoid giving his boyfriend a heart attack at the confusion of someone trying to unlock the door from the outside. Deciding on knocking, he knocks three times and waits.

There’s shuffling behind the door and in the three seconds before it’s opened, Ron’s heart is in his mouth. Carwood looks tired, but the smile on his face is instantaneous. There’s a pause as his body catches up with his brain and Ron waits for him to make the first move. Finally, Carwood throws himself into Ron’s arms and for the first time in months Ron feels safe and at home.

“I thought you were coming home in a few weeks,” Carwood mumbles, not wanting to pull away or let go of Ron, afraid he’d disappear into thin air.

“I wanted to surprise you, I think I managed that,” Ron replies, chuckling softly to himself. He gently manoeuvres the two of them back into the airport, kicking the door closed with his foot all while not letting go of his boyfriend. “You gonna let me go anytime soon?” He asks gently, to which Carwood laughs and shakes his head. He eventually lets go, standing back a little to give Ron the space to take in his surroundings.

Everything looks the same as when he left, apart from the few holiday lights strewn across the bookshelves and windows. He sighs happily to himself, his eyes landing back on Carwood. For months he was the only thing keeping him grounded, the sight of him in his memories keeping him sane. Yet, somehow he managed to look even better in person. Ron had a million things to tell him and news to share, but for the moment he wanted nothing than to listen to his boyfriend talk about his day as they sat together on the couch. Which Carwood was more than happy to do. 


	5. winnix no.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i only wish i had the strength to let it show // winnix.  
dedicated to kat <33

Lewis was undeniably head over heels for Dick. Ron made fun of him for it constantly, as a best friend would. But he couldn’t help it, every time he came into the coffee shop he felt his heart rate speed up and he’d stop whatever he was doing to make sure he got his coffee okay.

“You’re gonna have to talk to him at some point,” Ron calls over his shoulder just as Dick was leaving.

“I have spoken to him!” Lewis replies, glaring at Ron.

“Asking me to ask him if his coffee’s okay isn’t the same thing,” Ron replies, rolling his eyes and hiding a smirk.

Nix leans over to pick up a paper straw to throw at him but stops when he sees a customer come up to the counter. Instead, he whispers, “I could fire you,” under his breath, smiling at Ron’s half-hearted shocked face.

“I make the best coffee here, you wouldn’t dare,” he replies, not giving Lewis a chance to reply before he turns around and starts talking to the customer.

The next morning Dick comes in and orders the same drink he always does, cappuccino with almond milk. Lewis pretends not to notice as he skims over some of the applications for the vacancy they had posted about.

“Isn’t your manager going to fire you for hanging around and doing nothing?”

Nix looks up and is about to reply with a sarcastic comment before realising who it was. He feels his heart speed up again as he struggles for a response that would usually come to him so quickly. “Luckily we’re on pretty good terms,” he settles on.

Dick raises an eyebrow, “oh yeah? Enough to get me a discount on the cookies in the window?”

Nix laughs, shaking his head. “You know how to talk your way into anything, don’t you?” He asks.

Dick smiles back and looks as if he’s going to say something else but his order is called out before he can. He takes his cup and goes to leave, before stopping. “I never got your name. You know mine, so it’s only fair.”

“Nix, but my friends call me Lew,” Lewis replies, feeling his cheeks warm despite the cool breeze from the open door.

“Nice to meet you, Lew,” Dick smiles, before turning and leaving to start his day.

Lewis turns around and finds Ron smirking at him. “Not a word,” he threatens, ignoring the comments that are made about his interaction.

The next morning Nix finds himself watching the door, waiting for a familiar redhead to make an appearance. The next hour passes and despite the heavy rush of people stopping for a coffee before their workday starts, he doesn’t spot him. He tries to hide the disappointment he feels, Dick had no obligation to show up every day for his coffee. Although Nix kind of wished he did.

The next day passes and it’s the same. And the following day. Nix starts to think Dick’s found another coffeehouse to get his daily caffeine fix from.

It was the next Tuesday and Nix was balanced on a ladder, hanging tinsel from the windows and trying his best not to fall. It was the first of December and they usually went all out for the holidays. Themed drinks, festive treats and decorations absolutely everywhere. There was also an unofficial rule that if someone showed up dressed in a Christmas jumper they’d get a little extra in their drink or the next size up for the same price, but Nix didn’t like to publicise this message. After all, he still had to make a living.

But when he sees someone walk in with the ugliest Christmas jumper he’d ever seen Nix almost wishes he publicised the message just to see him in this ugly jumper every day.

He quickly makes his way behind the counter, grinning as Dick approached him.

“It’s only December first, bit early for the ugliest jumper isn’t it?” Nix asks, smiling a little to himself.

Dick blushes almost as red as the jumped he was wearing, “what can I say? I really like this time of the year.”

Nix can’t help the grin that makes its way onto his face. “The usual?” He asks, to which Dick nods his head. Nix gets started on making his drink (despite being the owner, he still knew how to make a good cup of coffee every now and then), and resists the urge to write his number on the cup.

He hands it to Dick, almost jumping out of his skin when their fingers brush as he passes the cup over. Dick looks up and smiles softly, “see you tomorrow?” He asks.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow,” Nix replies, smiling as he watched him walk out the door. One day he’d ask him out. That just wasn’t today.


End file.
